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Script: Answering pet owners' questions about heartworm resistance

Learn how to respond when clients ask your veterinary team about heartworm resistance.

Mar 01, 2014

By dvm360.com staff

FIRSTLINE

Clients who've heard of heartworm resistance may question your heartworm preventive recommendations, so it's important to practice what you can say to educate pet owners and make sure pets stay protected.

If the client says: "I've heard some pets are still getting heartworm even when they're taking preventives. What's the point of wasting my money if it doesn't help?"

You say: "Thanks for sharing your concerns with me. I'm glad for the chance to talk about heartworm resistance with you. The number of truly resistant cases is small and limited geographically. So please don't stop administering heartworm preventives because you've heard or read that they're no longer effective. Resistance occurs in only a small number of cases. I'd like to share your concerns with the veterinarian, who can help choose the best product to protect your pet and preserve her health."